In Memory

To understand ECP Hardware’s commitment to its customers is to know more about the company’s founder, Paul M. O’Rourke.

Paul was a life long resident of Metro Detroit and a graduate of Wayne State University. He always strove to better the community not only though his civic involvement but, equally important, through his dedication to the manufacturing industry, its customers and its innovation.

Paul started his career as a salesman for Pontiac, his passion for the industry obvious in his consecutive years as one of the top producers in the country. In 1965 he joined Lamparter Associates as a managing partner and contributed to the doubling of sales every year. The “Agency of the Year” award from Security Plastics followed. Paul was also an integral player in the attainment of “Blue Ribbon” clients such as Cadillac and Ford Heavy Truck and after his partners retired he took over the business, aptly renaming it Engineered Components Products.

Paul loved his work and helped to engineer and design many latches and hinges for American and Canadian made vehicles. Due to Paul’s dedication to high standards of service and quality, and despite many challenges, the company not only remained competitive but expanded in 1993 to include a state of the art distribution center. Paul’s integrity and ethics in business earned him an industry lifetime achievement award from Southco.

Paul passed away in 2004 after a battle with lung cancer. Those closest to him recall his love of baseball and the outdoors. Fishing, hiking and taking in all of nature’s wonderful forms were his release.

A handshake was Paul O’Rourke’s promise. Dedication to the customer is the guideline by which his son Ryan proudly continues in the business of comprehensive component selection at ECP Hardware; honoring his father’s memory with a handshake of his own.